Mon Mar 10 15:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Toll Payment Smishing Scam Targets Drivers

**[City, State] – [Date]** – A new wave of smishing (SMS phishing) scams is targeting drivers, threatening penalties for supposedly unpaid tolls to steal personal information. Scammers are impersonating toll authorities like E-ZPass, SunPass, and others, sending text messages demanding immediate payment via a malicious link. These messages often originate from international numbers, such as those with a +63 (Philippines) country code, and feature shortened, suspicious URLs.

While the requested payment amounts are typically small, aiming to appear legitimate, the true goal is identity theft. Clicking the link redirects victims to a fraudulent website designed to harvest personal and financial data.

Authorities urge recipients to ignore these messages. Do not click any links. Report the text as spam and delete it immediately.

If you’ve already clicked the link:

* **Contact your bank and credit card companies immediately** to report the incident and potentially freeze or monitor your accounts.
* **Consider freezing your credit** to prevent the scammers from opening accounts in your name.

If you only clicked the link without entering personal information:

* **Put your device in airplane mode.**
* **Scan for malware.**
* **Back up your data.**
* **Change your passwords.**

Experts warn against the dangers of clicking unknown links and emphasize the importance of vigilance against smishing attempts. Remember, legitimate toll agencies will not request payment via text message using shortened links.

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